Unconventional Fossil Fuels

Question 1

What are tar sands composed of, and what is bitumen?

Answer 1

Tar sands are naturally occurring mixtures of sand, clay, water, and bitumen, which is a dense viscous form of petroleum.

Question 2

What percentage of known stocks of tar sands does Canada possess?

Answer 2

Canada possesses 73% of known stocks of tar sands.

Question 3

When did exploitation of tar sands begin in Canada?

Answer 3

Exploration of tar sands in Canada started in 1967.

Question 4

What proportion of Canada’s oil output does Alberta account for, and what are its three main sites?

Answer 4

Alberta is responsible for 40% of Canada’s oil output, with its three main sites being Athabasca, Cold Lake, and Peace River.

Question 5

How much oil reserve does Alberta hold, and over what area?

Answer 5

Alberta holds reserves of 166 billion barrels in areas covering 142,200 square kilometers.

Question 6

How has production of tar sands in Alberta changed from 1980 to 2014, and what is the predicted production by 2030?

Answer 6

Production increased from 0.1 barrels per day in 1980 to 2.3 million barrels per day in 2014. It is predicted to reach 4 million barrels per day by 2030.

Question 7

What economic benefits have tar sands brought to Alberta in terms of taxes and job creation?

Answer 7

Tar sands have generated US$1.2 trillion in taxes and created 151,000 jobs.

Question 8

What targets were set to reduce Alberta’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and what percentage of Canada’s GHG emissions came from tar sand production in 2013?

Answer 8

Targets were set to reduce Alberta’s GHG emissions by 20% by 2017. In 2013, 8.5% of Canada’s GHG emissions came from tar sand production.

Question 9

What is oil shale composed of?

Answer 9

Oil shale is comprised of deposits of organic kerogen in sedimentary rocks, which have not undergone enough pressure, heat, or time to become conventional oil. Kerogen is the organic material found in oil shale.

Question 10

Which country possesses the majority of known reserves of oil shale?

Answer 10

The USA has 77% of known reserves of oil shale.

Question 11

What is shale gas composed of, and where is it typically found?

Answer 11

Shale gas is composed of methane trapped in fractures of coal seams and natural gas. It is typically found in shale rock formations.

Question 12

How much of the USA’s gas supply did shale gas provide in 2000, and how did this percentage change by 2015?

Answer 12

In 2000, shale gas provided over 1% of the USA’s gas supply. By 2015, this percentage had increased to almost 25%.

Question 13

What significant milestone occurred in 2015 regarding natural gas and coal in the US?

Answer 13

In 2015, natural gas overtook coal as the main generator of electricity in the US.

Question 14

While carbon dioxide is still released when shale gas is combusted, how does its carbon footprint compare to coal?

Answer 14

The carbon footprint of shale gas is about half that of coal.

Question 15

In which states have important shale gas fields been found?

Answer 15

Important shale gas fields have been found in the states of New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, and West Virginia.

Question 16

What are the implications for oil companies as accessible reserves, such as those in the North Sea, run out?

Answer 16

Companies must find new ways of sourcing oil, such as exploring deepwater reserves like those in the Gulf of Mexico and Brazil.

Question 17

When was Brazilian deepwater oil discovered, and when did it come on stream?

Answer 17

Brazilian deepwater oil was discovered in 2006 and came on stream in 2009.

Question 18

What is the estimated amount of oil stored in Brazilian deepwater reserves?

Answer 18

The estimated amount of oil stored in Brazilian deepwater reserves is 50-80 million barrels.

Question 19

Which state-owned company is involved in Brazilian deepwater oil exploration, and who funds it?

Answer 19

Petrobras is the state-owned company involved in Brazilian deepwater oil exploration, and it is funded by China.

Question 20

What was the level of production reached in Brazilian deepwater oil in 2015, and what financial challenge did Petrobras face by 2016?

Answer 20

Production reached 885,000 barrels a day in 2015. However, by 2016, Petrobras faced a debt of US$100 billion due to a slump in global oil prices.

Question 21

Despite refineries being 200km off the coast, what environmental impact has been observed along the coastline between Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo?

Answer 21

The coastline between Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo has been affected by the environmental impact, likely from oil spills or pollution.

Question 22

What concerns do people have about deepwater oil exploration, and what notable incident is cited as an example?

Answer 22

People are concerned about the potential for accidents, exemplified by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon rig incident in the Gulf of Mexico, where 11 were killed, 17 injured, and 134 million gallons of oil leaked.